Heating Skies Fuel Supercell Surge Across West Virginia to Delaware — SevereWX

Heating Skies Fuel Supercell Surge Across West Virginia to Delaware

Sunny conditions ahead of a cold front are supercharging thunderstorm potential in portions of West Virginia, northern and central Virginia, and southern Delaware. The Storm Prediction Center's Mesoscale Discussion 1783 flags an 80% chance of a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through late afternoon (2 PM to 5 PM EDT).

Key Threats:

• Damaging winds: 55-70 mph gusts from strong downdrafts, aided by steep low-level lapse rates.
• Large hail: Up to 1.25 inches.
• Tornadoes: EF1-EF2 (85-110 mph) possible with supercells, as low-level jet strengthens.

Strong mid-level winds (40-50 knots shear) and perpendicular flow to the front favor a mix of storm clusters and supercells. Mostly sunny skies have pushed temps into the low-mid 80s, boosting MLCAPE and fueling explosive development.

This setup could deliver the first widespread severe rounds in the region today. Track updates via SPC and local NWS offices (PBZ, RNK, LWX, AKQ, PHI).

Stay prepared: Monitor radar, secure outdoors, have a severe weather plan, and heed warnings. Safety first as storms intensify.